


Going Once, Going Twice—

by mycacoeths



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Bachelor Auction, Charity Auctions, F/M, First Kiss, Jealousy, Love Confessions, M/M, Memories, Minor Keith/Lance (Voltron), Mutual Pining, Pining Shiro (Voltron), Post-War, Romace, Shallurangst, Shiro is tomato number 3, Wingman Keith (Voltron), charity ball, deep talks, floating in space, shallura - Freeform, they want eachother but dont think they deserve it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 10:43:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19227556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mycacoeths/pseuds/mycacoeths
Summary: Shiro participates in a bachelor auction for charity. He gets lots of bidders but one of them puts up a good fight.Or: the one where allura pays 30,000 GAC for a date with her best friend.





	Going Once, Going Twice—

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by Full House + my own little twist of softness 
> 
> I missed these two so much please forgive any errors its been,,, a time.

“You two better stop dancing around each other or that man is going to burst into tears,” Lance announces rather loudly into the expanse of the training deck, the large room amplifying his voice even more. It was late in the day, and everyone has been going about their own activities since the morning. They have been traveling to Xarlaxsia for a peace charity ball to help in rehabilitating destroyed worlds, and with the newly repaired castleship, courtesy of Coran, they were back in space, traveling the same way they had been when it all began. Together. 

 

Shiro grunts out the breath he’d been holding in and lets go of the weight he’d been holding over his head. He sits up from the bench slowly to look at Lance. Allura, who has been spotting him from behind, shakes her head fondly.

“Hello, Lance,” Shiro greets and reaches for his water bottle. Allura greets him as well and hands Shiro a towel. Lance settles his bayard on the bench and begins to stretch on the mat beside the two co-leaders. 

 

Lance goes down to a squat. “I’m not kidding, he really will cry, Allura.” 

 

Allura giggles and places a hand on Shiro’s shoulder. “I’ve never seen him cry before.”  

 

Shiro only wishes that the blush that turns his face red is mistaken for the blood rushing to his head because of his workout. He hides the embarrassed look behind his water bottle as he hydrates himself some more. “Lance.” 

 

Lance only chuckles and poses into a lunge. “Sorry, Shiro, just teasing.” 

 

As Shiro composes himself, Allura clasps her hands together and smiles widely at the two paladins before her, looking as if she’d just won a lottery. “Right, since you’re both here— how would you like to help some planets?”

 

The bottle in Shiro’s hand returns to the floor and Lance stands up straight from his stretch. Lance glances at Shiro unsurely and asks, half teasing, half genuinely confused, “Have we been doing something else?” 

 

“No, I meant this time during the charity ball.” Allura is practically bouncing with excitement. “The Xarlacsians have proposed an auction as a segment in the celebration. To raise funds for the reconstruction of other civilizations on different planets, they’re asking for eligible bachelors and bachelorettes to be auctioned off on dates for a night. They’ve asked if the paladins were interested to be a part of the lineup.” 

 

Shiro frowns. Bachelor?  _ Him _ ? 

 

The hesitance on his face is read by Allura loud and clear and she tones down her excitement to a calm reassuring tone. “It’s for a good cause, but I understand if you wouldn’t want to do it.” 

 

Shiro looks up at her kind eyes, wide and bright with hopeful excitement. He clears his throat and opens his mouth. He stalls. “Have you asked the others about this?” 

 

Allura hums. “Oh, yes. Pidge has volunteered to help out as a technical director backstage, Hunk also will be preoccupied with preparation activities in the kitchen— he’s going to be preparing dinner and selling various foods— and Keith—,” 

 

“Keith didn’t say yes, did he?” Lance groans. Allura shakes her head. “He said he was going to catch up with his mother, but he assured me that the Blades have their own fundraising activity he will be helping out with.” 

 

Lance purses his lips and nods. Shiro swallows. So it was down to them. If Allura felt down in any way, she didn’t let it show. Instead, she looks at Shiro with an open gaze, as if nothing he were to say can be wrong. Great. On one hand, he is always ready to serve the universe, however that may be. Doing something for charity and a good cause is definitely enough for him to agree. But on the other hand... Going out on a date? He hasn’t done that in years. What if he flounces around and embarrasses himself on stage? What if whoever bids for him will be disappointed? 

 

“I’ll do it,” says Lance, rolling his shoulders back as he finishes his stretch. Allura perks up, “You will?” 

 

He makes his way to his bayard. “Yeah, I mean… it’s for a good cause, and–” the bayard flashes into a broadsword as the paladin twirls it in his hand, “–I’m a catch.” 

 

“Keep telling yourself that, Lance.” The doors slide close just as Keith enters and makes his way to them, his own bayard in his hand and a playful expression on his face. Lance rolls his eyes. Keith snorts, “Are we sparring or what?” 

 

“Five years later and I still want to stick you into a fucking wormhole.” Lance fires, and turns to Allura before he follows Keith deeper into the room. “Sign me up, we’ll make tons of money.” 

 

His voice echoes in the hollow space as Keith chuckles from afar. “Doubt it.” 

 

“You know what–!” Lance spares Shiro and Allura his annoyance and races after Keith to chew his ear out. Thankfully, they would be sparring, so maybe they could work things out during that time. 

 

Allura sighs fondly. She recalls Lance’s words. Five years. Has it truly been that long since they were in the midst of war and the universe was about to fall apart? Who would have thought they would get from risking their lives for the universe to getting all dressed up for a charity party? Who would have thought after all that, she would be racing with Coran to convince at least two paladins to participate in the auction? 

 

She glances back at Shiro who stares off at Lance just as fondly as she had been. She wouldn’t blame him if he refuses. In fact, she would much prefer it if he is far away from the prying eyes of people who would want to pay for him to take them on a date. But that’s selfish… and Coran’s voice is getting louder down the hall. 

 

“Shiro,” she springs up, grabbing his hands and pulling them close to her. “Would you do it?” 

 

He gives her a thoughtful yet hesitant expression and she almost wants to leave him alone. Her ears twitch at the sound of Coran’s footsteps coming closer. She adds, “For me?” 

 

At that, Shiro is completely and utterly helpless. It is not unknown to anyone that he would do anything for the princess. Whether it be because of loyalty or his… as Lance would put it,  _ intense crush on her _ . He would walk through fire for her and she only had to give him a single look. With a smile, determined as he seemed but really, the churning of his insides fast approaching in the horizon, he nods. “Alright.” 

 

Allura stutters for a moment before she decides on a delighted squeal. Her hands are thrown in the air and wrap themselves around Shiro’s neck. “Brilliant! Thank you so much!” 

 

Just as he was about to return her embrace, she takes a step back and turns her head to the sound of Coran entering the gym. He starts with a fresh and enthusiastic: “Paladins! How would you–,”

 

“Save it, Coran, I got them,” Allura says and loops her arm around Shiro’s unconsciously. Shiro’s face burns, so he brings his water bottle back up to his lips to take a long sip. 

 

* * *

  
  


“It’s pretty weird, isn’t it?” Lance mutters, running a hand through his already cleaned up hair. Shiro hums in acknowledgment. “It’s like a country fair, but then there’s a fancy ballroom dinner in the end.” 

 

“Well, the Xarlacsians don’t exactly have the same set of occasions as we do.” Shiro shrugs his shoulders and straightens his necktie. On his right breast pocket, he secures a pin of valor of Altea, a gift from Allura after the war ended. He looks himself over in the mirror and feels his stomach churn uneasily, but presses down the feeling. There won’t be any harm in the event. It’s for charity, and its aim is for people to have a good time. He will be fine. He turns back to Lance and continues, “Remember Clear Day?” 

 

Lance does a double take from his shoes to Shiro’s face before the thought registers, “Oh  _ yeah _ . That was really weird. I mean, I’m a great shot, how could I have  _ not  _ gotten that bigass hippo in a  _ shooting _ game and Keith could.” 

 

Shiro chuckles and mutters under his breath, “Looks like Allura and I aren’t the only ones dancing around here.” 

 

Whether Lance’s appalled reaction was because he heard what he said or the cowlick on his head shot straight up again, he’ll never know, because suddenly they were being ushered out from their little make-up room and onto the stage by two tall Xarlacsians. 

 

Shiro is disoriented by the lights, but Coran’s voice blasting over the speakers as he hosts pulls him back to reality and it dawns on him where he is. Suddenly he feels hot and it’s not just because of all the stage lights blaring at him all at once. There is an itch on his back he wants to desperately scratch, his throat is dry and all he wants is one of those shots of nunvil a waiter is carrying around. Before him, a hundred or so people eye him like he is some tomato on a rack. He gulps. 

 

_ For charity.  _

 

In fairness, he’s been before hundreds of crowds, spoken and hosted a few events himself during and after Voltron. Being on stage didn’t bother him as much as it did before, but it did make him feel nervous about how many people are about to pay for him for a night he can’t guarantee they would enjoy. Truly more terrifying than facing Zarkon in the astral plane, risking the death of both his soul and his physical body. 

 

He takes a deep breath. 

 

_ For Allura.  _

 

She’s done far too much for him, this is the least he could do for her. And what could go wrong? An awkward date, but for a good cause– that isn’t so terrible is it? 

 

The crowd snaps him out of his thoughts and Lance walks smoothly downstage, beside Coran. He looks calm and collected but after knowing Lance and having gone to war with him, Shiro knew that the tap if his foot meant that the nerves haven’t entirely left his body. 

 

Coran starts with ten thousand GAC and as the numbers quickly shot up, along went Lance’s bravado— winking and smirking like a champion. It wasn’t until someone declares eighteen thousand that the bidding stops and Coran floats down the stage to talk with the winning bid. Funnily, they know who it is. 

 

“Well you’ll have a lovely time with him now! Lance is quite the gentleman.” Coran prompts, a playful tone in his voice. Krolia leans closer to the mic and says, “Oh, he isn’t for me. He’s for my son.”

 

Just as she says that, the heavy ballroom doors open and Keith attempts to sneak in quietly, but everyone is looking at him. The spotlight catches him off guard and he fixes his posture as if he’d been called to attention by a superior officer. He squints at the light. 

 

Lance chokes. 

Coran walks back on stage right after Lance hands Keith a corpanous flower (apparently the Xarlacsian equivalent of the earth’s rose) and takes a seat beside him. The audience applauds at the two and the blush that darkened Lance’s cheeks wasn’t as subtle as he thought it was. 

 

“Right, so for our next bachelor of the night.” Coran motions towards Shiro to stand, and shyly, he does. But just as Coran was to finish his introduction, he is cut off by Allura who takes the microphone from him and reveals Coran to be a bachelor of the night too. Coran is auctioned off for seventeen thousand and he is a blushing mess when he gets back to Shiro. 

 

“Back to our regularly scheduled program–” Coran squares his shoulders and bites his cheek to keep him from smiling too much. He motions once more for Shiro to stand up and he does. He makes his way to the middle of the stage. The light is in his eyes so he begins to stare at the food on the guests' tables. 

 

“Takashi Shirogane is an excellent pilot who is also known as the famous black paladin. His interests include reading, stargazing, spending time with his cat and–” 

 

In the crowd, someone (quite rudely) speaks up, “Would you  _ just  _ get on with the bidding?” 

 

Coran is taken aback, but he quickly recovers and composes himself before he continues with a small smile. Shiro glances at him and he shrugs, saying, “We’ll start at ten thousand GAC?” 

 

The room fills with the sight of raised blue holo-screens with Shiro’s face from the very charming photo-op he was dragged to earlier that day. Coran’s brows raise and he chuckles at himself, “Right, stupid question– thirteen thousand?” None of them flinches. Shiro scrunches his nose to keep his flattered smile at bay as Coran dictates higher numbers. It was well past twenty thousand when he began to count down for the final bidder. Shiro still couldn’t see who it was due to the spotlight in his eyes, rendering everyone faceless.

 

“One twenty-thousand two hundred GAC going once, going twice–” 

 

“Twenty one thousand!” someone calls out in the crowd and Shiro tenses. The woman is to his right. He can’t say for sure, but if the stars weren’t playing tricks on him, he knew that voice. 

 

Coran blinks. There is a pep of excitement as he speaks again, “Twenty one thousand GA–”

 

“Twenty-one thousand eight hundred!” said the previous bidder.  

 

“Twenty-two thousand five hundred.” the second bidder states firmly. Shiro glances at Coran who’d lowered the microphone to his chest and watched the two silhouettes going back and forth in the crowd. Both had decided to get off their seats. 

 

There is an indignant huff. “Twenty-three thousand!”

 

“Twenty-four thousand!” 

 

“Twenty-six thousand GAC,” stated the first bidder, an arrogant and sure air that the other wouldn’t dare outbid. “ _ Cash.” _

 

There is a silence in the crowd, and from the second bidder as she visibly turns away. The first turns to Coran, daring him to count down, but it is protocol and Coran does just that. “Going once, going twice–” 

* * *

  
  
  


Allura is a princess. Taught to be poised and not at all spoiled in what she wants unless necessary. Her father always taught her to be nice to her cousins, let them have whatever toy they pleased even if it meant giving up what she wanted. In the war, she sacrificed her happiness for the greater good, and that was just the way it was for her. It didn’t phase her, it didn’t make her feel any bitterness in the back of her mouth. If she would say so herself, she would think she was pretty selfless. 

 

But she didn’t understand why she just couldn’t give  _ him _ up for a single date for  _ charity _ . She couldn’t wrap her head around it, and she didn’t have time to because Coran is counting down and she’s–

 

“Thirty thousand GAC.” she says, smoothly, voice low and controlled. She strides gracefully up front the stage as her name is announced and climbs the steps when the woman she battled with showed no sign of retaliation. She steps into the spotlight and wraps an arm around the stunned bachelor she’d just donated three thousand GAC for. 

 

“What are you doing?” he whispers in her ear. In any other case, she would have had goosebumps, but everyone is applauding her generous donation and the woman she was battling with has no choice but to clap along. She shakes her head and whispers back, “I don’t know.” 

 

Her face flushes. She really doesn’t. 

 

* * *

  
  


That night, Shiro, Allura and Coran return to the castleship in silence. There, they find the rest of the team in the lounge, almost as if they were waiting for them. 

 

Pidge is the first to speak, “So… the cake was great, wasn’t it?” 

 

“It was delicious, Hunk,” Allura smiles at Hunk who blushes in return. He says, “Thanks, guys.” 

 

A silence falls upon them all, one teetering on the brink of awkwardness before Lance clears his throat and nods towards the door to the bridge, “Hey, a message came earlier while you were out. It was addressed to Shiro so we didn’t open it.” 

 

Shiro clears his throat as the attention in the room shifted towards him. Although they weren’t really saying anything, he couldn’t help but think the elephant in the room was implied. The raising of eyebrows and mischievous smiles confirm his thoughts and he hustles to excuse himself and get to the bridge. He gives Lance a grateful thanks and walks off. It is when the automated doors whirr shut that Allura realizes that it was all a trap. 

 

Again, Pidge starts, “Allura, what was  _ that _ ?” 

 

Alarmed, Allura squares her shoulders and crosses her arms over her chest protectively. Calmly, she says, “What was what?” 

 

“Don’t play coy–” 

 

“What is a coy–”

 

“--thirty  _ thousand _ GAC for a date with Shiro!” Pidge exclaims. Her eyes sparkle with amusement that matches all of their gazes on her. 

 

“Not to mention that face off with the Nargoyan lady– oof!” 

 

Allura narrows her eyes at them defensively, “For your information,  _ Mrs _ . Repaxa is  _ married _ .” 

 

“Oh so you did this for the sake of her husband?” Lance teases, it renders Allura speechless. A squeak comes out of her mouth and nothing more before her face burns and her expression shifts into an annoyed glare. “Don’t you all have to get up early in the morning?” 

 

Hunk, taller, his voice a whole lot deeper and him all grown up, chuckles and takes the hint. “You guys, I’m sure Allura has her reasons.” 

 

Snickers echo in the space between the paladins, but Allura doesn’t flinch. She puffs up her chest and raises a brow at them. “Thank you, Hunk.” 

 

When they all rise from their seats to leave, and as soon as they are ready to, Hunk adds, “All of which involve being in love with Shiro!” And with Allura’s eyes widening to the size of saucers, the paladins decide to bolt and leave the scene before Allura had the chance to do anything else but throw a cushion at them. All except for Keith, who sits across from where she stands, arms and legs spread out, relaxed and amused. 

 

She pays him no mind as she slides down on the rounded couch and catches her head in her hands, trying so desperately not to think of what she’d just done. She hears Keith shift and then speak. “You know, Shiro’s really shy right?” 

 

Allura says nothing, not exactly wanting to talk about Shiro right now, but having nothing but Shiro in her head. A small whimper comes out of her folded in form and Keith continues. “He doesn’t like standing in front of big crowds unless he has to. When we were in the garrison and he’d be assigned to say something to a bunch of cadets for a ceremonial launch or a general assembly, he’d practice in the bathroom at home and would be a nervous wreck before he came on stage.” Keith chuckles at the memory. “But as soon as he gets up on that podium, it always looks like he’s a natural. Yapping about bravery and honor like he wasn’t just about to throw up backstage seconds before. The reason behind that is the people who count on him to do it.” 

 

“I don’t understand what this has to do with anything, Keith.” Allura frowns, finding herself listening to her friend, and lifts her head up to look at him. Keith has grown so much in the past years, and so has his attitude and patience. Now, he looks at her like how Shiro would when she’d express a hefty amount of stress. His hard yet kind eyes look away from her and he smiles softly. “All I’m trying to say is, he didn’t stand up there  _ just _ for charity. Something else pushed him to get on stage and smile at bidders.” 

 

Allura squints her eyes at him. “Helping rebuilt facilities and renew lives.” 

 

“Yeah,” Keith agrees. “But I saw how happy you were when he said ‘yes’.” 

 

He stands, and Allura only watches him. “And I know he saw that too.” 

 

“Keith–,” 

 

“Big day tomorrow,” he says, rolling his shoulders as if he were to tackle the upcoming day head on. “It’s back home and then a date with Lance.” 

 

Allura smiles as Keith puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. He gives her an amused little smile and his brow twitches up as he says, “You know– I know it’s for charity but– you could’ve gotten Shiro to go out with you at a  _ way _ cheaper price.” 

 

Allura humors him. “Like what?” 

 

Keith looks up and hums for dramatic effect, and then he shrugs. “Could have gotten him for free.” 

* * *

  
  


Sometimes Shiro finds himself throwing his helmet on and floating around in space with only a cord attached to the castle for safety. He does it when he couldn’t sleep sometimes, and when he had too much on his mind. It makes him feel light and carefree. And just like the night sky, his mind slowly clears and calms as he floats weightless. 

 

The voice is recognized as soon as he hears it in his helmet, and it fills his insides with warmth and nerves all at once. “I do hope you don’t plan on floating away.” 

 

“Just checking externals, princess,” he replies. He activates his jetpack and floats down to the hard surface of the ship where his boots stick and he is grounded. “Do you need me back in?” 

 

“Not necessarily.” Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a familiar flash of pink against the dark contrast of the sky surrounding them. As she made her way to him, he couldn’t help but smile. 

 

“Nice of you to join me.” he says when he reaches out to grab her hand. As their hands meet, the stars seemed to shine a little brighter than they did before. She thanks him for the assistance and sits on the surface like a magnet, which the space suit allows them to do. Shiro meets her gaze and wastes no time to follow her actions. 

 

“I like coming up here to count the stars.” He starts, unprompted. Allura listens, as she does. “It was a trick my father taught me when I used to have too many thoughts in my head to sleep.” He glances at her briefly before returning his gaze to the expanse of the universe before them. “It helps, a lot, but lately its effectiveness is starting to falter.” 

 

“And why is that?” Allura asks, voice soft and patient. 

 

“Sometimes the stars just can’t compete with some of the things in my mind,” he says thoughtfully, making the insides of his stomach twist in a longing way he could not understand. He changes the topic as the silence between them stretches. He clears his throat and says, “All– Princess, I’m not going to hold you to the… erm, date.” 

 

“What?”

 

“I have no business knowing why you did what you did, but I’m sure it was for a good cause. But I understand that… you aren’t interested in dating right now, and–” he struggles, and catches himself saying words he could not stop from exiting his mouth. He wants to badly to shut up. “You’re a great coworker, an even better leader and my best friend, and I just… I don’t want to make you do something you don’t want to just because you think you have to.” 

 

Whatever tension wasn’t there before Shiro opened his mouth was there now. This doesn’t occur to him, for his intentions were for the best. For years they’ve danced to the song of an almost and never have they gotten to the end. Not because they don’t want to, but because they believe they can’t. 

 

During the war, Allura would stay up countless nights worrying about the fate of the universe, the safety of her paladins and the family she’s lost– so much more than whether or not she would want to pursue a relationship with her black paladin. No one understands this more than Shiro. 

 

Allura swallows hard before she says, “I… suppose.” It lingers, the smallest hint of disappointment poorly masked by what is supposed to sound like careful consideration. “There are many things left to do before we can ensure peace.” 

 

Shiro nods, yet his chest burns. “Right.”

 

“There are families that need to be reunited, cities to be rebuilt, homes to be made for those who have none.” 

 

“Absolutely.” Shiro agrees. Not to simply affirm, but to convince himself that they just simply don’t have time for themselves… or one another. 

 

“So thank you.” Allura smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Her gaze goes past him, as if she were looking through him and not at him. “I… appreciate the sentiment.” 

The response is automatic. “You’re welcome, princess.” 

 

Another silence. One that stretches one too many seconds too long towards awkward until caught by Allura’s sheepish voice. She says, “But… if– if we  _ were _ to go out. Where, where do you think we would go?” 

 

Shiro doesn’t skip a beat. “Somewhere snowy,” he says, not a hint of hesitation as he snowballs. “Cold, where you could bring your big Altean parkas you would wear around in the middle of the night in place of your robes sometimes. The ones that are impossibly warm that it is a crime to wear anywhere else but the tundra.

 

“I’ve considered Atudera, but the skies are a sickening shade of green you wouldn’t appreciate, so Syclue– the planet with winter skies and beautiful auroras more colorful than the ones you saw on earth. In a cabin, small, but warm, just past one of the towns up north. I would have packed packets of the hot chocolate I snatched from the cafe in France you liked so much, tried to recreate a nice dinner with the Altean delicacies I once watched Coran and Hunk make, and made sure the fire was burning warm enough to thaw out your cold feet. 

 

Before that, there would be bears to watch nearby, so we would venture out and look for them so we could watch them from afar, but I have a very strong feeling that you would befriend them all and convince me to let them into the cabin. And I would have to explain to you that they wouldn’t be cold because they had layers of fur– and then you would ask me about how I would feel if someone assumed that I wouldn't be cold in the hills of ice when I would, for a fact, still shiver in two parkas and–,” 

 

“Shiro.” 

 

Noticing how he’d started rambling, Shiro’s face burns in embarrassment. He swallows and slowly turns his head to face her. He notices her nose slightly reddened and her blue eyes brightened even more with the tears that filled them. His body stiffens and his hands reach out for her, but she wraps her arms around herself. She sniffles and he softens. “I’m sorry. Let’s get back inside.”

 

One button is pressed to fill airlock with oxygen as soon as they find themselves back in the castle  Another is pressed for gravity and they land on their feet. Shiro and Allura stand ten feet away from each other on either side of the platform, ridding themselves of their helmets silently. 

 

Allura unlocks hers and takes a steady breath. She turns her body to Shiro who has his back turned towards her. Slowly, her feet drag her to him like he was the force that stuck her boots to the surface of the castle. 

 

Shiro turns slowly as he feels her presence behind him, and watches as she reaches up and helps him unlatch his helmet and lift it off his head. It is held to her side as one hesitant hand feathers over his jaw and the small exposed skin on his neck before it hovers just by the shell of his ear. He shut his eyes.

 

Shiro is no stranger to pain. Too many things have happened in his life for him not to recognize it. He is almost numb to it. But the pain he feels in his chest is different when he is with her. Her touch is like a burning flame to his skin– something he knows he shouldn’t have come close to in the first place. 

 

“Say something,” he pleads in a whisper. His forehead finds its way to come in contact with hers and suddenly every nerve in his body is alive. 

 

“Do you think–” she breathes. “Are we allowed to be selfish?” 

 

“We’re people.” 

 

Allura hums thoughtfully and closes her eyes. “When did you know?” 

 

Knowing the unasked question, Shiro goes back to the time when he first realized that Allura was more than just a leader and a friend to him. “Do you remember the time after the castle was corrupted by the galran crystal and we would find each other when everyone was asleep to keep each other company?” 

 

Allura smiles. It was all so long ago, but the memory sits solid and as clear as day in her mind.

 

“There was one night where you had fallen asleep on the couch while I was telling you one of my earth stories. Your head was on my shoulder and I remember being so careful not to move. But whenever I stopped talking, you would stir. So I didn’t. I told you countless of stories, from my experiences to all the classics I know, up until I started to feel sleepy. Around that point, I’d just been talking about what I felt about the day, how Lance made the funniest joke, how Pidge constantly staying up late stresses me out despite my own similar habit, how I was tired but couldn’t sleep and somehow I’d ended talking about you. And how beautiful you looked when you slept, and how I would love to be able to experience that everyday.” 

 

Shiro sighs and watches as Allura’s face turns pink, “But you don’t remember that. I woke up the next morning in my room, alone. So I suppose I realized it in a dream.” 

 

Allura thought he was cute when he blushed, and when he tried to look anywhere else but her eyes and failed. He clears his throat and shakes his head, pulling back just a little bit to catch some air. “It’s silly, I know, I–” 

 

“It wasn’t a dream.” Allura finally said. “I could hear your voice, faintly, in my sleep. It was like a lullaby. When you stopped speaking I could feel myself growing uneasy, and I remember being so thankful you didn’t. A part of me wondered why. Now I know. 

 

But I woke up, and you were there. Your arms were around me and I’ve never felt safer. I stayed there, a few moments, just enough for me to revel in the feeling and a little too much that it started to scare me, how I was starting to feel.” 

 

His eyes holds a fondness that masked sadness beneath. She shrugs sheepishly, “I carried you back to your room and I never spoke about it to anyone until now.” 

 

“Being happy isn’t being selfish.” Shiro tells her. His hand brushes the side of her face and she leans into it. “Loving isn’t selfish. If– this– if you wanted me, this is the most selfless way you could ever have gotten me–”

 

Allura giggles. 

 

“Thirty thousand GAC!” 

 

She grins at him and holds his face in her hands. “You’re worth more, Shiro. So much more.” 

 

Shiro places his hands over hers and never once has he felt as alive as he is now. He feels the smile crawl on his lips as he brushes back the stray strands of hair that had fallen in her face and he can’t believe that he’s this close to her. “I love you, Allura.” 

 

“Takashi.” Astonished and unable to say anything else, she bites her lip to keep a small squeak at bay. She nods as she runs her hands down his face and through his hair. She can taste the salt from the tears that has fallen from her eyes and she can feel her shoulders gradually getting lighter and lighter. Shiro watches her, an equally ecstatic yet patient smile on his face, as if he were watching a flower bloom. Her reply comes out in broken bursts of disbelief. “ _ Yes _ – I– I love you too.” 

 

And then she leans up and kisses him. It lasts a second before she gasps and Shiro chuckles adoringly. None of them can contain their excitement, feeling like two children who’d just discovered the meaning of love. His heart beats too fast for him to consider safe, and so does hers. Curling his arms around her body, Shiro brings them closer than they have ever been before and leans his face close to hers. 

 

His lips feel like flower petals as they hover less than a breath away from hers. He says her name as he closes the gap between them and gives her a proper kiss. All at once, Allura’s insides warm and she feels like flying. The heat travels from her chest to her cheeks as she drops his helmet and pulls him closer to her as if there were still so many miles between them. When finally, they’re here. In this moment with one another; finally together. 

 

Allura smiles into the kiss. Shiro’s lips travel from hers to her cheeks then to her nose and then her forehead. With eyes closed, Allura buries her head under his chin and wraps her arms around him. He embraces her in return and they stand like that for what feels like centuries. For so long, they’ve kept their distance, they’ve stayed in their places and neither dared to reach out. In this moment, they are at ease. Unworried and untroubled by the war that has come by and any war that they may face in the future. Right now, there is only them. Their time, their moment, their lives. Right now is theirs. 

 

Allura sighs as Shiro kisses her head. In the softest of voices, she asks, “Does this mean we’re going to Syclue?” 

 

Shiro breathes her in and squeezes her tenderly, “We’ll take Black.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Had this idea over 5(?) months ago when I was binging Full House and I watched that episode of the bachelor auction to win a date with Jesse and Becky steps up and outbids everyone at the last minute. This has been sitting in my drafts for the longest time and at this point im just glad i get to share it. Hope yall enjoyed!! I just love lowkey jealous allura


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